The discussion around the subject of mindfulness is somewhat complicated by the existence of both eastern and western perspectives. While these two approaches to mindfulness have overlapping ideas and outcomes, they come from two fundamentally different sources.
The eastern understanding of mindfulness revolves around meditation: the calming of the mind by focusing on the present moment (on breath, a mantra, etc.) and the letting go of distracting thoughts. There is a moral aspect to eastern mindfulness as well. It is expected that achieving a state of focus on the present moment will result in the best possible decisions about our own behavior.
The western approach to mindfulness has been shaped in large part by the research and writing of Ellen Langer, Phd, a Harvard professor of psychology. Langer writes that western mindfulness begins as an assessment of the mindlessness that is present in our lives. By examining how a lack of mindfulness is already affecting us, we can begin to challenge our rigid mindsets and single-minded perspectives. Langer describes mindfulness as “The process of actively noticing new things, relinquishing preconceived mindsets, and then acting on new observations.”
Both eastern and western traditions use mindfulness toward the goal of a more fulfilled and productive life, and a freedom from automatic behavior. The central overlapping idea between east and west is that both aim for a greater awareness of both ourselves and the world around us.
The following series of posts will be an approach to mindfulness that begins with an examination of mindlessness. Much of the discussion will be based on Ellen Langer’s book, Mindfulness, which was originally published in 1989. Langer’s explanation of her years of research on mindfulness is aimed at an audience of the general public, and assumes that the reader has no background in psychology or academic research. For this reason, the book is an excellent resource for those who are interested in an accessible introduction to the topic of mindfulness.